Mentioning Saigon, coffee is not just a refreshing beverage but has long been deeply rooted as an indispensable cultural trait. Over the flow of time, Saigonese have creatively developed the art of enjoying coffee into various unconventional styles. Amidst the myriad of modern live-music cafes and mobile coffee carts... how many still pause to think about the signature coffees that carry the deep marks of Saigon's history?

Let's take a trip down memory lane and wander around the city to discover 3 coffee styles that have become the "soul" of this bustling land.

1. Racquet Coffee (Cà Phê Vợt) – The Nostalgic Memories of Old Saigon

After decades of existence amidst the hustle and bustle of modern urbanization, racquet coffee (also known as stocking coffee) still maintains its slow, peaceful rhythm. The majority of customers are long-time regulars. They come not only for the taste but also to reminisce, to chat, or simply to find a quiet corner for themselves before starting a new day.

The space of these racquet coffee shops is often very rustic, imbued with the color of time, featuring:

• A crackling wood-burning stove.
• Steaming hot water boiled in traditional clay pots.
• A tin strainer (the "racquet") stained with coffee over the years.
• Small glass cups and a few low wooden stools for guests.

Since the owners rarely expand or luxuriously decorate, customers usually sit right on the pavement. Around 5 - 6 AM, when the fire is ready, the smell of kitchen smoke tightly intertwines with the passionate aroma of coffee, evoking distant memories of a bygone Saigon. That was the era when people were still captivated by the joy of sipping hot coffee, dipping a piece of giò cháo quẩy (fried dough stick) or a dense baguette to kickstart an energetic day.

2. Apartment Cafes (Cà Phê Chung Cư) – A Quiet Stop in the Bustling City

Not flashy or glamorous like Big Brands, nor as lively and airy as outdoor spaces, apartment cafes choose to settle in small, time-worn corners.

They are called "apartment cafes" because most of these shops have a modest area, tucked deep inside old residential buildings. Here, you won't find elaborate LED signs or massive advertising campaigns.

To step foot into the renowned cafes in ancient apartments like Thai Van Lung or Ly Tu Trong, you often have to navigate through rusty iron staircases under dim, somewhat mystical lighting. However, that mysterious "pathfinding" journey is exactly the highlight that makes a distinct difference, opening up an artistic, cozy, and highly personalized space inside each shop.

3. Flat-Ground Coffee (Cà Phê Bệt) – The Liberal Street Culture

If racquet coffee represents the previous generation, then flat-ground coffee (cà phê bệt) is the breath of modern life. As a hard-to-break habit of Saigon's youth, almost all communal activities from studying, group socializing, to playing music and entertaining... take place in park areas with cups of cà phê bệt.

With just an old newspaper or a piece of cardboard spread on the brick floor, accompanied by an ice-cold black coffee, young people can sit and chat for hours.

The cà phê bệt culture has become an extremely famous street characteristic of Saigon. It bears the liberal, friendly, and open personality of the local people, becoming so popular that any distant traveler or international tourist setting foot in Saigon wants to experience it at least once.

From the quietness of racquet coffee, the hidden romance of apartment cafes to the freedom of flat-ground coffee, all have painted a perfect picture of the signature coffee culture of Saigon.

And whether you own a cà phê bệt pushcart or a rustic apartment cafe, using eco-friendly take-away paper cups is gradually becoming part of modern Saigon coffee culture. Don't forget to choose high-quality, beautifully custom-printed packaging to fully convey the "soul" of your shop to every single guest!